Closing the Gap in Breast Cancer Awareness

As Breast Cancer Awareness month comes to an end, Northeast Valley Health Corporation (NEVHC) would like to shed some light on the need for continued diagnoses and outreach.??Breast cancer indiscriminately impacts those closest to us as about 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.[1] Despite breast cancer being the most common form of cancer in the U.S., many women forego or postpone mammograms, increasing their chances of death.[2] It is recommended women between the ages of 50-74 undergo a mammogram every two years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the 9.4 million annual screenings that could result in higher advanced-stage cancer diagnoses.[3] Breast imaging practices and most primary care services either shut down in-person visits or switched to telehealth to prevent exposure to the virus in 2020. Similarly, Northeast Valley Health Corporation (NEVHC) witnessed a 22% decline in women seeking mammograms from 2019 to 2021.?

At NEVHC, breast cancer screenings are provided at our Newhall and San Fernando Health Centers. If diagnosed, patients are provided an in-house LVN-Case Manager to ensure the patient understands their options for care. Case Managers also advocate on behalf of patients, connecting them with resources such as transportation services to alleviate their diagnoses' mental and physical burden until they are well into remission. All of this is done to create a safe, effective, and accessible health delivery system.

To fulfill our mission of providing healthcare access to all, NEVHC offers free breast cancer screening and diagnostic services under the Every Woman Counts program. This public health program aims to reduce the damaging effects of breast cancer morbidity and mortality in California. Women must be uninsured or underinsured and live at or below 200 percent of the Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines. To know if you qualify, visit Every Woman Counts.

To make an appointment at NEVHC visit nevhc.org or call 818-270-9777 for San Fernando or 661-705-2040 for our Santa Clarita location.

[1] https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/breast-cancer-facts-and-figures/2022-2024-breast-cancer-fact-figures-acs.pdf

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/index.htm

[3] https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2022/covid-increasing-cancer-screening